Dogwood

[WaltE99]

Has anyone ever used dogwood for a knife handle? I don't think I have ever seen an example but thought I would ask. I have a dead one that I need to do something with.

Thanks!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I have stabilized some dogwood stump burl. It was OK. Plain sapwood is somewhat blah.
IIRC, Ben at Greenberg woods has dogwood.

 

[MBB]

Dogwood's Janka hardness is 2150 (almost double that of oak) and it is used for a variety of things where resistance to wear is important. Like Stacy said, it's bland looking, but you could always shape it and then dye it to make it more interesting.

There's literally no harm is painting the ends of your log with Anchorseal and trying to dry it. I throw my random wood pieces like that in the attic of my shop and let them dry in the heat up there. Functionally, it acts as a low temperature kiln. It may split, but it keeps the bugs out of it.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

I have stabilized some dogwood stump burl. It was OK. Plain sapwood is somewhat blah.
IIRC, Ben at Greenberg woods has dogwood.

Nope. No dogwood here.

As for its use a handle? a resounding ehhhhhh. Its decently tough, but its just a really boring wood. The colors are meh and muted, the grain is really boring, there isnt much to do with it.

In my opinion, dogwood is a better choice for a carving mallet or a small work surface than a knife handle. Sometimes the crotch or the burl or stump wood can be figured, but generally its just not worth it.

 

[WaltE99]

Thanks. I Googled for dogwood handled knives and really found nothing. Also, I checked Ben's site and didn't see any. That's when I posted. As I said, I have a dead one that actually fell sometime last week due to all the rain and t-storms we've been having. When I cut it up, I may split a piece or 2 and see if there's any spalting and if not it's going in the firewood stack.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

As there are more than one tree called ironwood I think there are more than one dogwood. The smaller trees that are our state flower and tree are not of any size that makes lumber, and are not particularly hard. I would say they are like holly .... but there is more than one holy, too.

 

[the possum]

When I cut it up, I may split a piece or 2 and see if there's any spalting and if not it's going in the firewood stack.

I cringed at this a little. Don't burn it up, man. Dogwood is very rare to find in pieces big enough to make stuff out of. Even if you don't want it, if you could get a board big enough to make a jewelry box sized item, I bet you could find a local wood worker who'd be very happy to take it off your hands. Maybe even trade it for some figured wood he has.

Its shock resistance and hardness sound like it would be good for things like hatchet or hammer handles. Or save some branches to make file handles or chisels.

I could be wrong here, but seem to recall this wood is popular for carving since its tight fine grain doesn't chip out as easily as other woods. Might be worthwhile if you've been thinking about doing a checkered handle, or add some carving to dress it up.

 

[Britt_Askew]

Dogwood was used to make a glut (wedge) Gluts were used to split a log open in the old days.
Worth drying and seeing what it looks like. It may have been dead and fell but it will more than likely need to dry more to make a good knife handle.

 

[BevelBane]

I found this old post when I was trying to determine whether or not to try to make some scales out of a dead Dogwood tree burl I had. I went ahead and processed the burl into scales and stabilized them. This is the first knife I made with Dogwood burl. Turned out pretty good.

Dogwood Burl Scales

 

[DanF]

+1 what possum said, makes excellent hammer handles, was particularly prized by the old folk for handles and such.

That burl knife scale is a beauty!

 

[Storm W]

I found this old post when I was trying to determine whether or not to try to make some scales out of a dead Dogwood tree burl I had. I went ahead and processed the burl into scales and stabilized them. This is the first knife I made with Dogwood burl. Turned out pretty good.

Dogwood Burl Scales

That looks like it is worth holding on to. Very pretty.

 

[Alex Topfer]

Dogwood is very rare to find in pieces big enough to make stuff out of. Even if you don't want it, if you could get a board big enough to make a jewelry box sized item, I bet you could find a local wood worker who'd be very happy to take it off your hands. Maybe even trade it for some figured wood he has.

wood turners might also be interested in decent sized trunk sections. it looks like there is quite a distinction between the sapwood and heartwood, so could make some cool natural edge bowls

 

[BevelBane]

That looks like it is worth holding on to. Very pretty.

Here's knife #2 with Dogwood Burl scales. I'm going to be sad when I run out of these scales. I had several that had big open gaps that I filled with Epoxy. We'll see how those turn out.
Knife #2 with Dogwood Burl Scales